Lawmakers agree to changes in ethics code

JEREMY ALFORDCorrespondent

Published: Friday, May 11, 2007 at 11:25 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, May 11, 2007 at 12:02 p.m.

BATON ROUGE -- Committees on the House and Senate sides found favor with a large package of ethics bills Wednesday, jump-starting a legislative trend that could come to define the ongoing regular session.

The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee gave approval to Senate Bill 54 by Sen. Reggie Dupre, D-Bourg, which would allow insurance agents and others to directly advise government clients on services and products. Thatís prohibited under current state law.

The Houseís counterpart panel also endorsed a bevy of ethics alterations but put off until next week a hearing on House Bill 212 by Rep. Loulan Pitre Jr., R-Cut Off. It would add transparency to the way government officials use public resources and property following a major disaster, such as a hurricane.

The two proposals stand alongside an aggressive ethics package being pushed by the stateís chambers of commerce and more than 40 other business and civic associations dubbed "LA Ethics 1."

That package, which doesnít officially include the local efforts, would, among other things, expand financial disclosures for lawmakers, increase protections for people reporting violations and make ethics filings more user-friendly.

The House and Governmental Affairs Committee approved major parts of the package Wednesday, including:

House Bill 340 by Rep. Bodi White, R-Denham Springs, which would strengthen laws protecting the rights of whistleblowers, making public employees free from threats of discipline or retaliation for reporting information to the ethics board about alleged violations of law.

House Bill 493 by Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, which would require the state ethics board to offer Internet training, seminars and educational materials about lobbying laws and campaign-finance disclosure laws and require elected officials and public employees to receive the training.

House Bill 532 by Rep. William Daniel R-Baton Rouge, which would create the post of full-time ethics administrator for the ethics board.

Pitreís pending legislation would prohibit public servants from using government resources for personal reasons before, during and after natural disasters.

The legislation also bans officials from allocating those resources to family members in a "manner that is preferential over members of the general public."

The bill is expected to be taken up again next week along with a slew of other ethics-related measures.

On the Senate side, Dupre received a warm reception for his bill to allow insurance agents to offer advice to governmental clients, which is currently prohibited by the ethics code.

Itís a vague area of the law, Dupre said. In fact, insurance agents have sought official opinions from the Attorney Generalís Office in the past to interpret the statute.

The bill states that agents can provide "all of the normal insurance and risk-management services to a governmental entity, including but not limited to providing advice or recommendations regarding insurance coverages, markets, costs, terms, selection of coverages and all related matters."

Dupre said his proposed legislation would actually add transparency to the producer-government relationship.

"Right now, the state often has to hire a third-party consultant to come in and do something their insurance providers are already paid for," Dupre said. "I know if Iím paying an insurance agent, I want their advice on certain products and decisions."

The Senate Committee also approved Senate Bill 40 by Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, which would eliminate oversight of the state ethics board of legislatorsí speeches and debate at the Capitol.

Fields said his bill clarifies existing protection in the Louisiana Constitution for lawmakersí right to free speech during the legislative process. Policing of the Legislature would be left to the House and Senate.

The bill focuses on a conflict-of-interest fight between two New Orleans legislators and the ethics board.

The board is investigating whether Rep. Alex Heaton and Rep. Jeff Arnold violated ethics laws by debating bills that affected the tax-assessor jobs held by their relatives. A hearing is planned for Aug. 9.

Some lawmakers say the board overstepped its authority in attempting to punish them for debate on the floor of the Legislature.

Fieldsí bill, which is not a constitutional amendment and so does not need voter approval, specifies that ethics-board oversight doesnít extend to participation by a legislator "pursuant to his legislative duties and responsibilities."

Heaton, a Republican, and Arnold, a Democrat, went to court to try to stop the ethics-board investigation, but a state district court judge said the Aug. 9 hearing can take place. The lawmakers are appealing the ruling.

The ethics board is looking into whether Heaton and Arnold should have been prevented from arguing against legislation aimed at consolidating New Orleansí seven property-tax assessors into one assessorís office. Heatonís brother and Arnoldís father are longtime city assessors.

Despite the opposition of the two House members, a constitutional amendment on assessor consolidation was approved by the Legislature and voters in 2006. It takes effect in 2010.

<p>BATON ROUGE -- Committees on the House and Senate sides found favor with a large package of ethics bills Wednesday, jump-starting a legislative trend that could come to define the ongoing regular session.</p><p>The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee gave approval to Senate Bill 54 by Sen. Reggie Dupre, D-Bourg, which would allow insurance agents and others to directly advise government clients on services and products. That’s prohibited under current state law.</p><p>The House’s counterpart panel also endorsed a bevy of ethics alterations but put off until next week a hearing on House Bill 212 by Rep. Loulan Pitre Jr., R-Cut Off. It would add transparency to the way government officials use public resources and property following a major disaster, such as a hurricane.</p><p>The two proposals stand alongside an aggressive ethics package being pushed by the state’s chambers of commerce and more than 40 other business and civic associations dubbed "LA Ethics 1."</p><p>That package, which doesn’t officially include the local efforts, would, among other things, expand financial disclosures for lawmakers, increase protections for people reporting violations and make ethics filings more user-friendly.</p><p>The House and Governmental Affairs Committee approved major parts of the package Wednesday, including:</p><p><li>House Bill 340 by Rep. Bodi White, R-Denham Springs, which would strengthen laws protecting the rights of whistleblowers, making public employees free from threats of discipline or retaliation for reporting information to the ethics board about alleged violations of law.</p><p><li>House Bill 493 by Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, which would require the state ethics board to offer Internet training, seminars and educational materials about lobbying laws and campaign-finance disclosure laws and require elected officials and public employees to receive the training.</p><p><li>House Bill 532 by Rep. William Daniel R-Baton Rouge, which would create the post of full-time ethics administrator for the ethics board.</p><p>Pitre’s pending legislation would prohibit public servants from using government resources for personal reasons before, during and after natural disasters.</p><p>The legislation also bans officials from allocating those resources to family members in a "manner that is preferential over members of the general public."</p><p>The bill is expected to be taken up again next week along with a slew of other ethics-related measures.</p><p>On the Senate side, Dupre received a warm reception for his bill to allow insurance agents to offer advice to governmental clients, which is currently prohibited by the ethics code.</p><p>It’s a vague area of the law, Dupre said. In fact, insurance agents have sought official opinions from the Attorney General’s Office in the past to interpret the statute.</p><p>The bill states that agents can provide "all of the normal insurance and risk-management services to a governmental entity, including but not limited to providing advice or recommendations regarding insurance coverages, markets, costs, terms, selection of coverages and all related matters."</p><p>Dupre said his proposed legislation would actually add transparency to the producer-government relationship.</p><p>"Right now, the state often has to hire a third-party consultant to come in and do something their insurance providers are already paid for," Dupre said. "I know if I’m paying an insurance agent, I want their advice on certain products and decisions."</p><p>The Senate Committee also approved Senate Bill 40 by Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, which would eliminate oversight of the state ethics board of legislators’ speeches and debate at the Capitol.</p><p>Fields said his bill clarifies existing protection in the Louisiana Constitution for lawmakers’ right to free speech during the legislative process. Policing of the Legislature would be left to the House and Senate.</p><p>The bill focuses on a conflict-of-interest fight between two New Orleans legislators and the ethics board.</p><p>The board is investigating whether Rep. Alex Heaton and Rep. Jeff Arnold violated ethics laws by debating bills that affected the tax-assessor jobs held by their relatives. A hearing is planned for Aug. 9.</p><p>Some lawmakers say the board overstepped its authority in attempting to punish them for debate on the floor of the Legislature.</p><p>Fields’ bill, which is not a constitutional amendment and so does not need voter approval, specifies that ethics-board oversight doesn’t extend to participation by a legislator "pursuant to his legislative duties and responsibilities."</p><p>Heaton, a Republican, and Arnold, a Democrat, went to court to try to stop the ethics-board investigation, but a state district court judge said the Aug. 9 hearing can take place. The lawmakers are appealing the ruling.</p><p>The ethics board is looking into whether Heaton and Arnold should have been prevented from arguing against legislation aimed at consolidating New Orleans’ seven property-tax assessors into one assessor’s office. Heaton’s brother and Arnold’s father are longtime city assessors.</p><p>Despite the opposition of the two House members, a constitutional amendment on assessor consolidation was approved by the Legislature and voters in 2006. It takes effect in 2010.</p><p>This story includes information from The Associated Press.</p><p>Jeremy Alford can be reached at Jeremy@jeremyalford.com.</p>